Double brake means for reel



Oct. 17, 1961 A. F. FISCHER DOUBLE BRAKE MEANS FOR REEL Filed Dem l2, 1960 OCt. 17, 1961 A, F, FISCHER 3,004,732

DOUBLE BRAKE MEANS FOR REEL INVENTOR.

ARNOLD F. FISCHER BYXWWM 3,004,732 Patented Oct. 17, 1961 3,004,732 DOUBLE BRAKE MEANS FOR REEL Arnold F. Fischer, 8 Taft Place, Lindenhurst, N.Y. A Filed Dec. 12, 1960, Ser. No. 75,436

4l Claims. (Cl. 242-1562) This invention relates to brake means for tension control ofV reel feeding apparatus of the type adapted to feed wire. More particularly the invention relates to double brake tension control means for a reel which is adapted to release a strand such as wire, rope or tape to a utilization machine, for instance a stapling apparatus, where the feed motion is intermittent.

Conventional reel means are shown in my prior Patent No. 2,533,782, granted December l2, 1950 and generally comprise a single brake mounted on the reel. As shown in my prior patent the brake generally comprises a brake band which is wrapped around a drum surface on the periphery of the reel. The brake band is adapted to be released by increased tension on the Wire.

It has been found in practice that single acting brake means are liable to permit overrunning of the rcel as their action is not sensitive enough especially in the case of intermittent feeding, for instance with a stapling machine. If the reel overruns, slack is developed and there is loss of tension control with resultant loss of proper feeding.

The present invention provides novel double acting brake means which act in response to predetermined primary andjsecondary wire tensions.

Accordingly, a principal object of the invention is to provide new and improved tension means for reel feeding.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved tension control means for -reel feeding of the intermittent type.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved brake means for reel feeding.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved brake means for reel feeding comprising double acting brake means which operate in sequence in response to predetermined tensions of the strand being pulledl from the reel.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved double acting brake means comprising irst and second springs adapted to act on the brake, `the first springsu adapted to act on the brake, the first spring being adapted to relieve the brake pressure upon a predetermined initial tension of the strand and a second spring brakeV means adapted to relieve its pressure on the brake by predetermined further tension on the strand.

Anotherrobject of the invention is to provide new and improved reel mounting means comprising a pair of side members adapted to be removably connected and means to apply pressure to a reel between said members, said members,f being locked together to eliminate wobbling of the side members.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing specification and drawings, of which:

rrFlG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front sectional view taken along' the lines 2-:2 of FIG. 1;

FIGJ3 is a detail sectional view taken along the lines 3 3 of FIG.,1;

FIGS. 4, 4A, 4B show detail views of the cam lock of the embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a detail side view.

FIG. 6 is a detail view showing reversing of brake means.

Referring, to the Ifigures the invention generally cornprises a mounting base i1 having an extending arm 2 connected thereto. A mounting shaft 3 is iixedly connected to the arm 2 by means of the clamp 4 mounted on the arm 2. A mounting plate 5 is tixedly mounted on the shaft 3, for instance, with a set screw. A side member 6 having a hub portion 7 is rotatably mounted on the shaft 3 by means of the bearing 8. The hub has a recessed portion `10 which is adapted to accommodate locking means for the other side member 11 as will be discussed. The shaft 3 is mounted only at one side and extends only to the recessed portion of the hub 7.

The brake means are as follows:

The side member 6 has a brake drum 12 and the brake shoe member l13 is pivotally mounted on the mounting plate 5 by means of the pin 14. The brake shoe 13 has a friction surface 15 and is pressed against the brake drum 12 by two springs. The iirst spring is a bent wire spring 16 which extends along a slot in the brake shoe member 13 and which in anchored in a hole 1-6 in the plate 5.

The second brake spring mounting is as follows:

A mounting arm A5' is fixedly mounted on the plate 5 and a control arm 20 is pivotally mounted at the upper end of the arm 5 by means of the pin 20. A spring 21 is connected from one end'of the arm 20 to the mounting plate 5. At the other end of the arm 20 is pivotally mounted a link member 22 which has a slot 213 at its lower end which engages a pin 24 in the brake shoe member 13. fl'he pin 24 extends through an aperture 25 in the plate 5. Pin 49 mounted in plate 5 extends to the same extent as shoe 13 and prevents wobble of side member 6.

A strand guide or wire guide 30 is ixedly'mounted on the arm 20 and comprises a strip of curved metal having a predetermined amount of 'ilexibility, for instance spring steel. A plurality of loop guides 31, 32, 33 on guide 30 guide the wire W from the reel over the extending end of the guide 30 and through the loops 31, 32 and 33. The wire is pulled in the direction of the arrow by the utilization apparatus which may be for instance a wire stapling machine.

The operation of the double acting brake tension control means is as follows: Y

In normal locked position, the spring 16 bears against the brake shoe 13 and tends to lock the brake drum 12. Also, in normal position the spring 21 reinforces the rst spring pressure. The spring 21 acts through the arm 20, link 22, slot 23, and pin 24 to exert pressure on the brake shoe 13 in the direction of positive braking.

Upon initial wire tension caused by pulling the wire W the guide 30 will bend in the direction shown by the dotted line of FIG. 1 and the arm 20 will tend to. rotate clockwise in FIG. l which will move the link 22 down and relieve the upward pressure of spring 21 on the pin 24 and brake shoe 13. This occurs because the member 22 slides down Iand the bottom of the slot 23 is disengaged from contact with the pin 24 and the spring 21 pressure on brake '13 is relieved. Upon additional tension on the wire W the guide 30 ,and arm 20 will rotate suiciently so that the top of the slot 23 will cause a downward pressure on the pin 24, thereby relieving the pressure of the spring 16 on the brake shoe 13.

When the tension slackens in the wire W the two brake acting springs will restore pressure to the brake drum in the opposite sequence. In other words the springs 16 pressure will be applied rst and then the spring 2.1

pressure.

It has been found that the present double acting braltev system provides a much more sensitive control which is much more responsive to variations in the wire tension so that reliable tension control is obtained without any overrunning of the reel which causes slackness and loss of tension control. When the reel overruns the wire is liable to become tangled or fouled.

Mounting plate 5 for brake device is so designed that it can be rotated or turned to any degree or angle to line up with different types of Vwire stitching or staple machines. Also, some machines are designed to feed wire from right side of machine and others from lef-t side; This means that reel should be able to rotate either clockwise or anticlockwise. This can be `accomplished with same parts by switching spring 30, lever 22, spring 21 and shoe 13 to opposite sides, allowing reel to work clockwise or anticlockwise. This is invaluable to adaptation for various stapling machines made. Without this design right and left castings, etc. would have to be made for every machine that has feed Ifrom opposite sides.

FIG. 6 shows how shoe 13 is reversible to dotted line position 13. Spring 16 is mounted in hole 16 when reversed. Link 22 and spring 21 are easily interchanged for reverse rotation in this position. Guide 30 is also easily reversed on arm 20. Pin V24 then extends out the opposite side of shoe 13 through hole 25 in plate 5.

'I'he locking means for the side reel member 11 is as follows:

The recess 101 in the hub 7 of the side member 6 has a pair of locking pins 35- and 36 which extend along a common 4axis perpendicular to the axis of shaft 3i. The removable side member y11 has a recessed portion 37 which is `adapted to have a firm contact with the end of the hub 7. Contact of member 11 on the side of hub '7 is not practical for easy insertion of member 11. Dependence on side contact causes wobble in conventional apparatus, due to necessary clearance required to fit on the removable side member. The side member 11 is adapted to fit against the end of hub 7 so that it can be locked to squeeze the reel R so that there will be no relative motion of the wire reel R with respect to the side members 6 and 11. The positive contact between the end of the hub 7 and the recess 37 of member 11 eliminates any Wobbling of the side members I6 and 11 when the side member 11 is locked in place. A locating pin 38 is mounted in the hub 7 and adapted to engage a corresponding locating hole in the side member 11.

A short shaft 40 is slidably mounted along the axis of the member 11. At the inner end of the shaft 40` is fixedly mounted a slotted cam 41 lock as will be described in connection with FIGS'. 4, 4A` and 4B. A spring 42 is mounted on the shaft 40 to hold the cam 41 in extended position with respect to the side member 11. On the outside of the member 11, and on the shaft 40 is mounted a washer 43 and a threaded hand knob 44 which connects with a threaded portion of the shaft 40.

At the other end of the shaft 40 is fixedly mounted a smaller knob 45 which is used to manipulate the cam 41 lock.

The operation of the locking means is as follows:

Assume the reel R has been placed on the hub 7', and the threadedcollar 44 is turned to its counter-clockwise or loosened position. The member 11 is then placed in contact with the hub 7, first engaging the locating pin 3S. The cam 41 is then rotated with the fingers `by means of the knob 45 until the slots 50 and S1 in cam 41, FIG. 4,V

engage the pins 35 and 36. The cam 41 is then pushed in and rotated a quarter turn clockwise by knob 4S, which causes the pins to ride around in the curved slots 52 and 53V to locked position, illustrated at 36,'. The side member 11 is then locked in place with adjustable pressure by turning the knob 44 which is threaded on the shaft 40 in a clockwise direction. This may be done quite easily and the knob 44 is preferably tightened to apply sufficient pressure to the reel R so that the reel will be squeezed between the side members 6 and `1-1 so that there will be no relative rotation between the reel R and the side members 6 and 11. Also, due to the positive contactV of the side member :11 there will be no wobbling of the side member 11 with respect to the side member 6.

This device allows just two or three turns of knob 44 to tighten pressure on side plate 11 against wire coil, preventing wobble or loosening of plate 11. This prevents wire strands from falling in between and snarling and at the same time permits quick loading and unloading wire coils.

Member 44 is on full threads at all times so that i-t will not strip threads as on conventional Wire reels that must be started on and off of threaded front plates. Plate 11 cannot turn or unlock. Conventional holders have a tendency to loosen and permit coils to slip and slide, and unlock the front plate.

Many modifications may be made by those who desire to practice the invention without departing from the scope thereof which is defined by the following claims.

I claim:

l. In means for dispensing wire from a reel of the type having a fixed mountin-g shaft for said reel and a pair of e side spool holding members rotatably mounted on said shaft; brake means comprising a brake drum on one of said side members, a mounting plate fxedly mounted on said shaft adjacent said drum, a friction member pivotally mounted on said plate and adapted to bear against said drum, means to spring load said friction member with first and second separate springs each separately anchored to said fixed plate, first means to release said first spring in response to a predetermined rst pulling tension on a strand mounted on said reel, and second means to release said second spring in response to a predetermined increased pulling tension on said strand.

2. Apparatus as in claim l wherein said first and second separate spring means comprise a first spring mounted on said plate and bearing against said friction member, a pin on said friction member extending through said spring mounting plate, a link having a slot adjacent one end of said link and adapted to engage said pin, a control arm pivotally mounted on said spring mounting plate, a second spring connected from one end of said control arm to said spring mounting plate, the other end of said link being pivotally connected to the other end of said control arm, and a strand guide fixedly mounted on said control arm whereby the initial strand tension relieves-said second spring pressure on said friction member and further strand tension relieves said first spring pressure on said friction member.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said double brake means are reversible for opposite reel rotation.

4. Tension means for a reel of the type having a xed mounting shaft for said reel and a pair of side members rotatably mounted on said shaft, comprising a brake drum on one of said side members, a fixed mounting plate fixedly mounted on said shaft adjacent said drum, a friction member pivotally mounted on said plate and adapted to bear against said drum, means to spring load said friction member with first and second separate springs separately anchored to said plate, means to release said first spring in response to a predetermined initial pulling tension on a strand wound on said reel, means to release said second spring in response toa predetermined increased pulling tension on said strand, said two separate spring means comprising a first spring mounted on said plate and bearing against said friction-member and a second spring linkage means connecting said second spring to said friction member, and a movable strand guide, said linkage means connecting said first and second springs to said strand guide so that predetermined initial strand tension relieves said second spring pressure on said friction member and predetermined increased strand tension relieves said first spring pressure on said friction member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,254,255 Zeruneith Sept. 2, 1941 

